Located on the south-east coast of South Africa, East London is a little known gateway to some of this country’s most sublime beauty spots. With the glorious beaches of the Sunshine Coast sprawling to the south, and the forests and nature reserves of the Wild Coast off to the north, East London car hire is a must if you plan to dive into everything that this lovely corner of South Africa has to offer.

Don’t go anywhere just yet though. East London can also show you a thrilling time. It’s got an abundance of cultural and historical highlights as well as excellent surf beaches.

The built up area of East London is roughly the same size as England’s Sheffield. Public transport is reasonable here, but a hire car will enable you to reach the most alluring tourism spots, which are spread far and wide around the city and coast. East London might be famed as South Africa’s only river port, but it’s the beaches that get visitors talking. Nahoon Reef is one of the most popular surf spots. This stretch of sand and swell is on the edge of the city and a 15-minute drive from the heart of East London.

Other places not to be missed include the East London Aquarium, the East London Museum, and the Gately House Museum.

The average daily temperature rarely drops below 20C at any time of the year, with the southern hemisphere winter months of June to September providing the driest season, albeit with lower temperatures.

Book car hire in advance of your visit to save money. You can arrange to collect your pre-booked vehicle at East London Airport (ELS), which is a 20-minute drive from the city centre or at a rental office in the downtown area.

Use TravelSupermarket’s search tool to compare prices and then book your ideal package.

You don’t have to go very far at all to see one of the best bits about holidays here: whale watching from the shore. These majestic beasts tend to spend their winters (from June onwards) in the shallow waters off the South African coast before heading to the Antarctic for summer. It’s easy to spot the southern right whales from the coastline of East London. The boardwalks at Nahoon are ideal for coastal walks but even better for catching a glimpse of the local whale population.

Head south of East London and hop between the beaches of the Sunshine Coast. Take the coastal road to discover pretty ocean-front towns and mile upon mile of sand and sea. It would take around four hours to reach the “friendly city” of Port Elizabeth or more than six to reach the start of the Sunshine Coast in Tsitsikamma, where you can overlap with part of the famous Garden Route of South Africa.

Take the northern roads out of East London and tour the aptly named Wild Coast. Ride horses through the surf, photograph cattle grazing on the beach, check out coastal rock formations that wouldn’t look out of place in Dorset and venture into wildlife reserves to tick off some of that must-see list of animals that you’ve no doubt compiled in your mind.

The Hluleka Nature Reserve is a five-hour drive from East London. A little far for a day trip, there are plenty of excellent hotels and resorts along this coast that will offer the warmest of welcomes.

Much closer to East London is the Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve, at only 40 minutes away by road. Enjoy a game drive or hike through the reserve with a guide.

The best of South Africa is on your doorstep when you rent a car in East London.